Cape Town - Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy has revealed that the club lost captain Robyn Johannes to Absa Premiership champions Bidvest Wits due to limited funds.

Johannes has signed a pre-contract agreement with the Clever Boys which will see him move to Jo'burg after his contract runs out at the end of the season.

McCarthy insists he tried to keep Johannes, but was resigned to losing the defender due to City's lack of financial power.

"Robyn is a player that recovered himself this season. He was great last season, but this year he made up for all the years he missed out because of injury," he told Independent Media.

"Of course I tried (to keep him at City) because I have known him since he was 15. I played with him, and now I get to coach him. Our relationship is more than that of coach and player.

"But it's difficult when you are competing with teams who have bigger budgets than you, and would throw more money at players.

"It also becomes difficult for a player when you say he has to give up R2 million or R3 million to stay. I think I can't try to convince someone, especially when you get to the latter stages of your career.

"I don't want players resenting me and saying 'Coach Benni made me decide to stay and now in five years' time, I have to go look for a job when I could have secured my future for another extra five years."

As a result, McCarthy will have to bid farewell to Johannes in the off-season. For City fans hoping to see their team complete the transformation from a lesser title-challengers to one of the true giants of South African football, there could hardly be a more bitter pill to swallow.

Kaizer Chiefs secured victory over McCarthy's City in their Absa Premiership match at the FNB Stadium on Saturday in a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from striker Ryan Moon.

The Citizens now find themselves in 6th position in the log standings 7 points off leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.